Three-quarters of world’s diabetes patients can’t afford treatment: Research
A research by the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, has found that around three-quarters of the world’s people with diabetes cannot get the treatment they need.
The report also warned of “huge drop-offs” in care worldwide.
Of the about 420 million diabetes sufferers in the world, 80 per cent live in so-called low and middle-income countries.
Conversely,“fewer than six per cent of these individuals can access the care they need to manage their diabetes and prevent long-term complications like heart attacks, strokes, kidney diseases or blindness,” the researchers said,
Making treatment more widely available could result in “healthy life time lost to patients from diabetes” over a decade jumping “by around six per cent,” according to the team, which included researchers from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
The findings were based on analysis of patient data covering over 23,000 people from 67 countries and were published by The Lancet Global Health, a British medical journal.
Saying that setting targets led to reduced HIV-AIDS death numbers, Justine Davies from the University of Birmingham recommended a similar approach to diabetes.
“We must definitely now achieve scale-up blood pressure and statin medication treatment,” she said.
“The greater impact of Covid in people with diabetes reinforces this urgency,” said Jennifer Manne-Goehler of Harvard Medical School.
People with so-called non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease have proven vulnerable to developing severe illness if infected with the coronavirus.
Last year a research team led by scientists at Imperial College London and the Chinese University of Hong Kong said having diabetes doubled the risk of death after picking up the virus.
(dpa/NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
States
Safe Motherhood Week: Kwara government distributes birth kits to 16 LGAs
The commissioner noted that the safe birth kits enhance hygienic practices during delivery.
NationWide
Nigerian parents advised against hiding children with disabilities
Bolanle Olawuyi of the Department of Social Sciences Education, University of Ilorin, has appealed to parents of disabled children against hiding them due to shame or stigma.
Health
Anambra ready to take delivery of malaria vaccine: Commissioner
Health commissioner Afam Obidike disclosed this in Awka on Friday at a news conference to mark the 2024 World Malaria Day.
Lagos
Sanwo-Olu sacks 391 ‘redundant’ workers at Lagos Water Corporation
The Lagos Water Corporation has announced the sacking of 391 redundant employees as part of its ongoing restructuring efforts.
States
Calabar-Itu Road: Cross River set to pay N400 million compensation to property owners
Mr Ekpang said the government would spend about N400 million to pay the compensation.
Jos
NAFDAC seals unregistered bakeries, water factories, medicine stores in Plateau
The director encouraged the public to report violations, such as selling expired, damaged, or adulterated products, to the nearest NAFDAC office.